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Bath 36 Sale Sharks 14

Jenny Dixon
30/ 4/2008

SHARKS were forced out of the European Challenge Cup by a Bath side hungry for silverware.

Bath eased into the final of Europe’s secondary rugby competition, scoring five tries and leaving in their wake a band of disappointed and injured Sharks.

Sale’s performance fell short of what was required to beat their in-form hosts at the Recreation Ground.

Sharks went into the tie with a shortage of available backs, and the fast-pace and need for desperate defending compounded the problem.

Centre Chris Bell was forced off in the first 20 minutes with a sprained ankle, followed in the second half by Oriol Ripol (broken arm), Charlie Hodgson (shoulder) and prop Andrew Sheridan (head).

Even before the injuries hit, Sharks appeared to lack ideas and, after Hodgson put the visitors ahead on two minutes with a drop goal, it always looked to be Bath’s day.

A minute after giving Sale the lead for the only time during the tie, Hodgson was called on to clear Sharks threatened lines. But the home side pounced and his clearance kick was charged down by scrum-half Michael Claassens who leapt over the tryline to score.

Sublime handling, and quick ball, then sent Bath’s Michael Lipman over the whitewash and Olly Barkley converted to put his side into a 17-3 lead in 10 minutes.

Hodgson reduced the deficit with a penalty before Sale scored their controversial, only try.

Referee Christophe Berdos had sent Bath captain Steve Borthwick to speak to his players after penalising them a number of times.

As Borthwick conducted his team talk Hodgson launched a cross kick that Chris Mayor grounded.

The score was allowed, much to the chagrin of Bath.

Sale made it to within three points of the hosts with a long-range penalty from Luke McAlister, but Bath remained in command, lock Danny Grewcock the next to cross the tryline.

Sale looked uncomfortable, their phases of possession were shortlived before a knock-on or turnover gave the initiative back to Bath.

Bath capitalised when out-of-sorts centre McAlister knocked the ball on in mid-field sending Andrew Higgins racing over the tryline.

Matt Banahan scored Bath’s fifth try and Sale came out of the semi-final with only bumps and bruises to show for their efforts.